In Iraq, I raided insurgents; In Virginia, the police raided me

[uhnope]

I got home from the bar and fell into bed soon after Saturday night bled into Sunday morning. I didn't wake up until three police officers barged into my apartment, barking their presence at my door. They sped down the hallway to my bedroom, their service pistols drawn and leveled at me.

It was just past 9 a.m., and I was still under the covers. The only visible target was my head.

In the shouting and commotion, I felt an instant familiarity. I'd been here before. This was a raid.

I had done this a few dozen times myself, 6,000 miles away from my Alexandria, Virginia, apartment. As an Army infantryman in Iraq, I'd always been on the trigger side of the weapon. Now that I was on the barrel side, I recalled basic training's most important firearm rule: Aim only at something you intend to kill.

READ MORE http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-in-iraq-i-raided-insurgents-in-virginia-the-police-raided-me-20150726-story.html

How long until there is a total reappraisal of police tactics in the USA? When will "deescalate" become the most basic rule?

[Downwinder]

1. Without a paywall.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/in-iraq-i-raided-insurgents-in-virginia-the-police-raided-me/2015/07/24/2e114e54-2b02-11e5-bd33-395c05608059_story.html

[mwrguy]

2. That's karma, motherfucker

[Downwinder]

3. Good breakdown of the problem.

Thanks for posting.